Speaking about the effects of taking those study tours, Wang says her son has a better understanding of different cultures and has become more confident on such occasions as when he has to talk in public or participate in a performance.

"I will keep sending him on such trips so that he can see more places and get to know their culture and history," she says.

Enthusiasm for study tours is likely fueled by the fact that some middle schools in China have already put them under consideration when evaluating a student's comprehensive performance.

So far, several provinces, including Sichuan, Hunan and Guangdong, have integrated study travel into teaching programs for primary and middle schoolers.

A number of middle schools in Beijing have already developed study tours that cover Jiangsu province's Nanjing and Zhejiang province's Hangzhou, as well as Canada and Australia, for their students.

"The original purpose of bringing study tours into students' comprehensive performance evaluation is good, because the tour will broaden their knowledge and stimulate their interests," says Zhang.

"It's a good complement to closed-classroom education."

The education systems of many developed countries have schools that encourage study tours.

In Japan, numerous schools have well-established study tours for their students, while a considerable number of private schools in the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand have arranged for students to take themed education tours.

However, Zhang cautions that it has to be voluntary on the students' part and parents should choose products based on their children's interests and the family's financial circumstances.

"In fact, study-tour prices are not necessarily all steep, and it is also not a case of the more expensive, the better the tour," Zhang says.

Many travel products that cost just a few hundred yuan can be very educational and well within the reach of ordinary families, she adds.

One of Ctrip's most popular museum tours in Shanghai costs just 168 yuan for a child, and is led by a scholar from Shanghai-based Fudan University's School of Life Science.

The tour is open to children older than the age of 5 during weekends and exposes them to fossils and specimens.

Ctrip has developed 12 themed study tours, such as scientific exploration, outdoor survival and sports, to meet the growing needs of the market.

Each product has been divided to suit different age groups and learning goals, so customers can more easily choose the one that best suits their needs, Zhang explains.

For the fast-approaching summer, a series of tours covering both Eastern and Western civilizations in such destinations as Henan province's Luoyang and Shaanxi province's capital, Xi'an, have been developed for children to better understand the Silk Road.

For those who want to trek further afield, a 12-day trip to Greece is available for students to savor local history.

Scholars specializing in Greek studies, archaeologists and artists offer professional guidance.

To ensure that they get the most out of the study tours, students are asked to do relevant reading before the trip and then write a paper or deliver a photography project afterward to demonstrate what they have learned, according to Zhang.

Immersion class, such as studying ancient Greek opera or replicating a pottery antique, can also be arranged.

"The idea is to ensure that children actually learn something," Zhang says.

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